A Life Given—A Life Lived
by lateVMlover
Summary: Spoilers for Avengers Endgame. What would happen if the Black Widow didn't stay dead after getting the Soul Stones in Avengers Endgame? Natasha is transported to the Buffy universe just in time to save the life of a slayer's sister. How would things turn out for Buffy and company if Natasha is there to guide and help them? One shot only.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm writing this in the first-person point of view as I've never done that since I mostly hate the first person because it's a limited perspective. However, this is a Black Widow story, and she's so well liked that I think only getting her point of view will add to the story, not take away. **

**This is set during ****_Avengers Endgame_**** when Natasha is fighting with Clint over who gets to die. When she hits the water below, she doesn't actually die. Her soul dies in that world, but she is transported into the****_ BTVS_**** world at the moment Dawn is about to be sacrificed. What would happen if Natasha was there for Dawn? What if she was there for all of them and forced to live in the world with real monsters and no SHIELD? What would she do? Read the story if you want to know! Spoilers for **_**Avengers End Game**_**, so if you haven't watched it and plan to, stop reading now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Black Widow character or any Avengers related back story/characters. Nor do I own ****_BTVS_****. Both are the property of the late great Stan Lee and very much alive Joss Whedon.**

Chapter 1: Natasha

_*****Vormir*****_

I wasn't about to let the greatest man I've ever known die—not when he'd done so much for me. I fought with Clint for the right to sacrifice for the Soul Stone—the fate of the known universe depended on us getting this stone. Did we know when we were sent to Vormir that one of us would have to die? No. Would it have mattered? Not at all.

As the Black Widow, I work with some exceptional men, and many would conclude that Steve Rogers—aka Captain America was the greatest of all of my many male co-workers. Some would argue that Tony Stark, who risked life and bank account often was the best.

They would be wrong.

As the only totally pure human, Clint was the greatest man I'd ever known (up to that point anyway). He'd not just saved my life that time he refused to assassinate me and instead recruited me—he'd saved my soul. I paid him back the way I'd been trained with sex, but he didn't use me that way for long. Instead, he gave me something I needed far more than a lover—he gave me a home, a family. He was my best friend, my brother. His children were my niece and nephews—his wife, a saint who'd given him the home he'd longed for. I wasn't about to let them lose their father.

On the cliff side that day, I had made up my mind that I didn't have it in me to let him die in my place. We were going to defeat Thanos, and his family would be brought back to him. He would be whole again, and I would make this final sacrifice for him. I could repay him for all he'd done for me—I wasn't going to fail him now. My ledger had too much red on it.

I managed to beat Clint because he could never bring himself to really hurt a woman, especially not me. Not to mention, he was deadlier with an arrow than with his hands. However, I knew he would fall with me before he would let me go, and I saw the pain in his eyes as he desperately tried to hold onto me and keep me from falling. It was up to me—I would have to force him to let me go.

Love for him filled me. "It's okay," I told him before pushing off and ripping my hand from his. Our eyes connected for a long moment. He was my other half, so words weren't necessary. The look said everything. I loved him.

He loved me—the first man who ever did. He taught me what love was and what it could be. I had been too broken back when we first met to allow him to love me as a lover, but he loved me as a friend and sister. I was sorry that the last thing I ever did for him would hurt him, but it had to be done.

He had to live.

I felt both peace and relief as I fell, and then everything went black.

Suddenly, I was free falling once again—not at all what I expected. I saw a giant metal tower of some kind and positioned my body so that I would hit it, knowing I needed something to stop my fall.

I hit it hard, rattling the structure, and a girl screamed. I looked and saw a young girl with long brown hair. She was terrified, standing on the edge of the tower, her hands tied in front of her. Somehow, she managed to not lose her balance.

_What the hell is this?_ No time to study the situation as action was immediately needed.

"It's okay," I assured her. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Where did you come from? Are you one of Glory's minions?" she asked, her terror apparent.

Smiling, I shook my head. "I'm not exactly sure where I came from. I was on another planet, and now I'm here. I'm definitely no one's minion," I said.

The girl frantically looked at her body. "But I'm not bleeding yet, so I couldn't have opened a portal. How did you get here?" she asked.

"You can open portals? That's cool," I said. "How about we get down from this tower? It doesn't look safe."

"Watch out!" she screamed.

I turned and saw some Poindexter looking old man holding a knife, coming toward me. Clearly, he was a bad guy. There was only one way to handle bad guys.

"You mustn't interfere. Glorificus's will be done," he said.

Smirking, I used my leg to sweep his out from under him, and then I knocked him off the tower. Not bothering to see what happened to him, I held out my hand to the girl. "Come on. Let's go down. This isn't the best place to get to know one another," I said.

The girl smiled. "Okay," she said as she took my hand. "I'm Dawn—Dawn Summers. My sister Buffy is the vampire slayer. She's down there, hopefully kicking Glory's ass." She pointed below where I could barely make out several people fighting.

"I'm Nat—Natasha," I said automatically. Should I use one of my legends? Falling from the sky wasn't a new one for me, but since I previously been plunging to my death on another planet, I was feeling more than a little disorientated.

We moved down the stairs and a blonde guy in black leather was coming up. He looked at us in surprise.

"Bit, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, Nat saved me. She came from the sky—I think she might be an angel," Dawn said, giving me a look of hero worship that I rarely took time to see.

"No, I'm not an angel," I told them. "I'm not sure how I got here, but I'm glad I could help."

"That's Spike—he's a vampire, but we don't kill him 'cause he's got this chip in his head to keep him from hurting humans," Dawn said. "He's my friend."

"How about you not tell strangers my bloody business?" the British vampire named Spike said, giving her a cross look.

Since the kid didn't look at all intimidated by his glare, I relaxed and kept following him down the stairs.

"Dawn!" a voice called out.

Before I could react, my face was hit hard, and I was torn away from Dawn.

I blinked, rubbing my face as the vampire grinned at me. "Big Sis is a hit first and ask questions later kind of girl," he said.

I saw that Dawn was embracing my attacker, so I relaxed and nodded. "I can appreciate that," I said. Looking around, I saw an adult with glasses, getting up from the ground, a dead body at his feet. He was the oldest, so I assumed he was in charge.

I walked over to him. "Hello. Are you in charge here?" I asked.

The man took off his glasses, and I looked into his weary eyes as he gave a half-smile. "Sometimes," he said. He, too, had a British accent. For some reason, the nerdy appeal of this man made me smile in return. "And you are?"

"Natasha," I said before wincing. Why did I give him my real name? Was I a rookie? "Natasha Rushman." That was better. That legend gave me fond memories of pulling one over on Tony—I missed that know-it-all already.

"She saved me," Dawn said from behind.

I turned and looked at the group that was slowly surrounding me. Besides the vampire and her sister, there were two women holding hands. One was redheaded, but she seemed much more dangerous than anyone else.

Why was that?

A man was helping a woman up from the ground, checking her for injuries.

"Is it over? Did we stop her?" the woman asked, holding onto the man's hands.

"Glory is dead," the older Brit said to them, pointing at the body by his feet.

"That's Ben," Dawn said.

"Ben was Glory," he said. "He was the earthly vessel, containing her. Buffy beat her into hiding inside him, so he was in control."

"I couldn't kill him," Buffy admitted, looking ashamed of the fact.

"I know," the Brit said, giving her a loving look. "I took care of it."

The group showed various degrees of surprise from his news. Relief was the most prominent, but Buffy looked grateful.

"What about all these people?" the younger man asked, pointing to a nearby group. "Are they sane again? Now that Glory is dead."

"The energy she sucked out of their brains might've returned," Giles said. "We have no way of knowing unless we speak to them."

"Anya and I will do that," he said, looking at his girlfriend—it was obvious. "Then I'm taking her to the hospital to be checked out. A bunch of rubble fell on her."

"My head and ribs hurt," Anya said. "I don't want to talk to crazy people. I've had enough of crazy people." She looked at Dawn and Buffy. "I'm glad you're not dead, Dawnie. I'm glad that the portal hasn't opened, sucking all my money into hell."

"And that we're all safe," the man said to her, a fond smile on his face.

"Well, of course," Anya said with a sniff. "If we were dead, I couldn't watch my money grow, and you wouldn't be able to give me orgasms."

Buffy laughed while the redheaded woman gave Anya a disgusted look. Dawn, though, giggled. "And on that note, let's get out of here," Buffy said, her arm around her sister.

She looked up at the tower and then at her sister. Her piercing gaze met mine. This was a deadly predator, I realized.

"Miss Rushman, if you would like to join us?" the older Brit asked.

"And you are?" I asked.

"Rupert. Rupert Giles," he introduced. "How did you come to be here?"

"I'm not exactly sure how to answer that," I admitted.

"That's fine. Explanations can wait until we've gotten some rest and took care of injuries," Rupert said.

"Giles, we have no idea who she is," Buffy said, giving me the stink eye.

I appreciated her protectiveness and smiled. "I'm Natasha Rushman," I said.

The redhead frowned. "No, I don't think that's true," she said.

"Willow, we mustn't be rude," Rupert said, frowning. "She aided Dawn, possibly preventing the world from ending. She deserves our courtesy."

I liked this Brit more and more and smiled warmly at him. "I'm glad I could help," I told them.

"She came from the sky and fell on the tower," Dawn explained. "Then she kept that Doc give from cutting me with his big knife."

"So she did stop the ceremony," Rupert said, giving me a friendly smile. "We are most grateful."

"She said she was on another planet," Dawn added.

_Why had I told the girl that? _I felt Fury's disapproval and sighed in resignation. I started to explain when Rupert held up his hand.

"Explanations can wait," he said. "We know she's not a threat, so we can regroup later. You all need to go home and get some sleep. We'll meet back at the Magic Box in the morning."

"I think God was answering my prayers for help," Dawn said, smiling at me while her sister looked suspicious. I couldn't blame the girl if people were trying to literally sacrifice her sister.

"Willow and I will help with Glory's victims," the other blonde said.

Rupert smiled. "Thanks, Tara," he said. "Might I add how wonderful it is to have you back."

Tara gave her a shy smile and led the redheaded Willow to a nearby group of lost looking people.

"She is dangerous," I remarked.

"Willow?" he asked, and I nodded. "She can be. She's a very powerful witch."

The idea that this place had someone like Wanda made me relax. "Where am I exactly?" I ventured to ask.

"Sunnydale, California," Rupert said.

I was on Earth—that was wonderful news.

"Home of a very powerful hellmouth. It draws a lot of demons and other creatures like Glory, who want to channel its power for nefarious purposes, which was Glory's aim," he said.

A hellmouth? This couldn't possibly be my Earth.

I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I followed the man to his car.

*****_The Next Day*****_

Rupert took me to his apartment, behaving like the perfect gentleman he seemed to be. I slept on his pull-out couch and debated on what to tell him. Trusting strangers was not the way I was built, but there was something about Rupert. It was clear that he knew about sacrifice and loyalty. How he came to be in charge of a group of young adults was not clear until he shared a bit more over the breakfast that he made for me.

"I understand being wary of trusting strangers," he said. "But if you are lost or need help, we can help you."

"I do better with the trust when I know the players," I said, taking a gamble.

Rupert smiled. "Well, all right," he said.

I'm not sure what made him decide to trust me with his and his charges' secrets, but he began telling me an extraordinary tale.

I thought I'd heard everything until he told me about his slayer and the past five years.

"Why are you sharing all this with me?" I asked, not sure what his angle was.

"Because you saved Dawn, who is necessary for Buffy's happiness, and who I care a great deal about," he said.

"They've both been through too much. Their mother was sick and died of complications from a brain tumor just a few months ago. Buffy had to drop out of school to help care for her and Dawn. Then that hell goddess, Glory, wanted to use Dawn in a blood sacrifice ritual."

"Why?" I asked. What was so special about that kid? "Is it because she can open portals? She told me that."

Rupert frowned. "Dawn's special, and she's never opened a portal," he said. "But Glory was convinced that her blood and that precise spot and time could do it."

"Why her?" I asked.

He clearly didn't want to share that particular detail. "That's not my secret to tell," he finally said.

I nodded. I could respect that.

"So now you. What's your story?" he asked.

"I'm not sure exactly," I admitted. "I'm an Avenger." When he gave me a blank look, I said, "Earth's mightiest heroes?"

"I can't say I'm familiar with the group," he said. "This isn't my homeland, and the kids say I'm woefully behind the times."

"It's possible this isn't my Earth," I announced, waiting for his reaction.

He just nodded. "That's possible," he said.

"I was on the planet Vormir looking for a Soul Stone to stop Thanos, who had wiped out half of the world population with a snap of his finger," I said.

"Well, that wasn't on this planet, so you are most definitely on the wrong earth," he said.

I had a sinking feeling that he wasn't wrong.

*****_A Month Later*****_

I can't believe how strange and normal my life on this Earth has become. As a SHIELD agent, I saw a lot of things and did a lot of things that were very much out of the ordinary. However, since I landed on this alternate Earth, my life was vastly different. Sure, I tried to see if the planet had SHIELD or anyone I knew. There weren't any doppelgangers of anyone I knew. No SHIELD and no Hydra.

No Clint. No Fury. Not even a Tony Stark.

Instead, vampires and demons were real, and the only thing standing in the way of the planet's destruction was a few twenty-year olds, one very ancient ex-demon, and a neutered vampire.

Of course, I could not forget the leader of the motley crew, my anchor Rupert Giles.

He had been a good friend to me this past month. First, he smoothed the way with me and his young charges. His slayer was beyond pissed when she found out that Rupert had trusted me with their secrets. I let her have her say and then I told her to shut up.

"I'm a trained spy, a government agent from another Earth," I informed her. All her friends and sister were there at the time. "I can help you because it's very clear you guys are in need of help."

"We do just fine," Buffy said with a sullen look in her eyes.

She didn't relax until I kicked her ass in hand-to-hand.

"You can't be human," she said as she picked herself up for the tenth time. I was breathing heavy and hurt in places I'd not hurt in a long time, but I'd pass out before admitting it. She was the alpha dog, but I wasn't about to be her bitch. Buffy was hanging on by a ragged edge, and her friends were too close to her to see it. She needed help, and I was going to help her.

Whether she liked it or not.

"I'm human—mostly," I said. "I was born Natasha Romanoff, a Russian asset. They used a version of a super serum on me. I don't have the strength of Captain America or you for that matter. But I don't tire easily, and I'm tough. Not to mention, I've got over two decades of fighting experience that you don't have." I had told the group about my own experiences fighting crime and monsters—aliens specifically.

"You speak Russian?" Dawn asked. "That's so cool! Will you teach me? Giles is teaching me Latin, Greek, and Sumerian, but the school only has Spanish and French."

"I can teach you Russian," I said, smiling at the girl. She was a sweetheart and had latched onto me like a homing beacon.

That was three weeks ago. Now, Buffy had decided it wasn't appropriate for me to be on Giles' couch anymore, so I was living with them. They told all her mom's friends that I was her mom's sister come to help with Dawn. Spike hooked me up with fake credentials. It was decided I could be Natasha Romanoff, a half-sister of Joyce Summers. The girls had insisted I take her mother's room after they went through her things. She was taller than me, so most of her clothes I couldn't use. She had expensive taste in toiletries, so I was happy to have them.

Buffy was wary at first, but she was clearly warming up to me. I think she finally saw how much it was to her advantage to have me fighting with her—and I did fight with her. She was special, and I admired the hell out of her—out of all of them really.

Tony would flip out if he knew how little they had to fight such threats. I was just glad I was being drawn into their world and allowed to help them.

Well, I couldn't exactly say that things were great with Willow, who was not at all like Wanda I soon discovered. I didn't trust her, and she sensed my distrust. It made her try too hard to please me at times. At other times, it made her openly hostile toward me. She had power, but I could see that it was not normal or always benevolent power. Her girlfriend Tara was a real sweetheart, and I questioned her extensively about their magic and Willow's power. Of course, Tara had no idea that I was a skilled investigator and knew how to get information out of just about anyone. She was without guile or malice and putty in my hands.

I meant no harm, but I needed intel. Dawn told me just about everything I needed to know about the group. However, witchcraft was out of my realm of experience, and Tara was raised by a mother who knew the craft. Tara not only told me everything I wanted to know about her, magic, and Willow, but she showed me how to call the four corners. That's how we discovered that I could use magic if I wanted to learn.

I really didn't as the energy from the hellmouth kept me from sleeping too many nights as it was. Using magic seemed like cheating—almost lazy. Buffy smirked knowingly when I said that in front of her and Rupert. However, Rupert convinced me that magic would just be one of many weapons in my arsenal.

Then he suggested I go with him to England and take some lessons from his witch friends in Devon. It was the middle of June by this point, and the girls were out of school for another eight weeks at least. A trip to Europe sounded pretty great—I couldn't recall the last time I'd had an actual vacation.

It was decided that the Summer girls needed a break, too. Willow and Tara would help Spike patrol for two weeks or so, and then Buffy would return home to relieve them. School didn't start until the end of August, so Willow and Tara would join Giles and get some training from the Devon coven, too. This way the entire group got a break. Anya refused to leave her money, and Xander was happy with a long weekend in Los Angeles with his girlfriend. I suspected the two would be announcing an engagement soon.

I didn't care who went, but it was nice getting to play tourist with the kids. They had never been to Europe, and I spoke pretty much every language on the continent—much to Rupert's delighted surprise. He spoke French fluently, but mostly read dead and obscure languages. I was teaching him Russian, though, as he wanted to learn with Dawn.

He was very sweet. Maybe someday, I'd take him to my homeland.

Although I had only been on the hellmouth a bit more than a month, I didn't realize how negative and dark the place was until I left it and went to Rupert's family home in London. Buffy and Dawn felt lighter the moment they made it to Los Angeles.

Seeing Buffy without the weight of her responsibility was an eye opener. It was like she was a different person. Of course, she ran off at the airport to go kill a demon she sensed. Luckily, she didn't get any demon goo on her clothes. I had to agree with the slayer—demon blood was the worse. I quickly began to hate it as much as she did. Vampires, though, were another kettle of fish.

They were my favorite thing ever to kill. One stab to the heart and even the body dissolves. The lack of science in that would drive Tony nuts. I smiled every time I killed one.

At first, I had spent days searching for a way back to my world. Then Rupert made me realize that I'd given my life there for the Soul Stone, so maybe this was my chance for a life here—with them. I wasn't sure if he meant that as innocently as he appeared. Sometimes, I felt a vibe from him, but he was so British and polite that I wasn't sure. It's been ages since I'd been around guys that weren't American. American men were so bold and confident. Most Brits were subtle and polite—Spike being the exception, of course.

When I dyed my blonde locks red again, he smiled and then blushed. "You look lovely," he said.

I grinned. "I do?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. That was when he blushed. God, he was cute.

"Quite so," he said. He had such a manner of speaking—it was quickly growing on me. No longer did he remind me of JARVIS when he spoke—although like JARVIS, he was knowledgeable about a great many things.

"Why the change?" he asked me.

"Well, you've got three blondes already, and I thought a fourth was an overkill," I told him with a wink. He blushed again.

"What's your natural color?" he asked.

I shrugged. "It's been so long that I couldn't tell you," I admitted.

Our European vacation was so nice that I almost forgot that there was a hellmouth waiting for us when we returned.

*****_Several Months Later*****_

It was my first Christmas on the hellmouth, and I found that I missed Clint, Laura, and their kids quite a bit.

The girls sensed I was sad, and they didn't push. It was their first Christmas without their mother, so they were pretty damn sad themselves.

Their father had made plans to take them to dinner for Christmas Eve. While we were in Europe, I located him in Spain and gave him a stern talking to. That was my version of events anyway. Being out of touch and leaving Buffy and Dawn to bury their mother alone got him a bloody nose. I told him that if he didn't step up and start making an effort to come to Sunnydale once a month, I would kick his ass.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Joyce's half-sister," I told him. "We didn't grow up together because my father seduced her mother one weekend. When I was born, they agreed that he would take me. Joyce and I only met once as an adult due to my job with the CIA." I almost believed my tale. Mentioning the CIA got the fear response I was looking for. It took effort to hide my smile of satisfaction.

"She never told me about you," he said, frowning.

"She never told me you were such an ass," I replied.

"Fine. I can take Dawn and have her live with me in Los Angeles if she wants," he offered.

"She doesn't want to leave her sister or friends," I said. "It would be nice if you kept in touch—don't change your number without telling them. Don't go on trips without letting them know how to reach you. Invite them to Los Angeles every other month. You know—be a good dad."

Hank looked ashamed and nodded. "I can do that," he said. "Where are they now?"

I told him about our trip, and he agreed to join us in two days, surprising them with dinner.

That was how the Summer sisters reconciled with their father. I had enough of my own daddy issues and didn't want them to have the same problem. Luckily for them, he kept his word. Once a month, both girls saw their father, and he called once a week. I think both girls had forgiven him for his absence the past two years or so.

Christmas was low-key as Giles had gone home. Willow and Tara went on a trip to visit her parents at a ski resort in Colorado. They were excited to see snow for Christmas. Xander and Anya's wedding was planned for New Year's Eve. The plan was to party until midnight after the eight o'clock ceremony, ringing in the new year as husband and wife. When we had all returned from our European vacation, they had announced their engagement.

Xander had some misgivings, but I talked to him about it. Life was too short—if he loved her and wanted to marry her, he should. Fatherhood could wait as long as he wanted. The fact that he could love and trust a woman who used to curse men for a living said a lot about him.

I worried about him because he reminded me of Clint sometimes—he loved his girls and devoted his life to them. Anya was willing to share him even if she resented it sometimes. She loved him enough to know that he needed to help Buffy. I began working with him in September, honing his fighting skills. He was a brawler like Spike, but I taught him a more disciplined approach to fighting. I got Willow to turn to science more and create my favorite electrified fighting sticks, and Xander and Anya both kept one in their arsenals. It was great for downing a large demon when they were caught by surprised.

I had discovered that nearly all demon species would back away after getting an electric shock.

When I had been in Europe with Rupert, he had told me about his council and how they didn't pay Buffy. By the time I left, that was one tradition those old geezers were happy to give up.

I didn't tell Rupert, but I used a few variations of a honey trap to blackmail both Travers and a few other council members. No need for violence with the Brits. Just a hint of scandal was enough to have them scrambling to pay Buffy money. It was criminal the way they were exploiting those kids, and I made it really clear I'd destroy the lot of them if things didn't change.

They believed me.

Along with bonuses to her friends for each apocalypse they helped stop, Buffy would receive a monthly paycheck for her work as a slayer. It was ten percent more than what they were paying Rupert. Buffy about fainted the first time she saw the check, and Rupert was impressed I'd gotten money out of the skinflints—as he called them.

Thanks to the council, Xander and Anya had enough for a down payment on a house—Anya was overjoyed. She informed anyone who would listen that real estate was an investment, and they were no longer throwing away money on rent. Her joy in avarice never failed to amuse me. Sometimes, I would picture her and Tony together and laughed. He would have gotten a big kick out of the former demon, who loved capitalism more than anyone I had ever met.

Buffy's school tuition was being paid by the council, and she was able to return back to school. She didn't go back to the dorms, however. Instead, she spent time with Dawn—even seeing a counselor with her. The past few months, all of us settled into a comfortable routine. Thanks to my training, Buffy now surpassed me some days. She was a sponge when it came to weapons training and fighting. Rarely did I have to show her a move twice—she was the best sparring partner I'd ever had. Fury would've given a kidney to have someone like her on his team.

Her ability to sense evil was getting sharper all the time. Sometimes, I actually felt like the proud aunt I was pretending to be.

As we exchanged gifts Christmas morning, it was just the three of us. Dinner was happening later with Xander, Anya, Spike, and Spike's demon friend Clem.

Buffy gushed over the throwing stars I got her while Dawn loved the new jacket I gave her.

Buffy handed me a package. I opened it and looked down at the framed photo of her and Dawn with me. Rupert had taken the photo a month earlier on Thanksgiving.

"I thought we could add it to the mantle," she said, giving me a shy smile. Only in the emotional department was this girl ever vulnerable—we were alike that way. Her simple gift really touched me.

"Thanks," I said. I stood and placed it on the mantle.

Somehow, I had found a home and a family on the mouth of hell.

Somewhere, Clint was laughing.

*****_The End*****_

_I hope you enjoyed my first ever 1st person point of view tale. I don't claim to be an expert on the Black Widow in anyway. I'd love a review if you have the time and inclination. Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

**For the purposes of this story, season 4 of ****_Angel _****has happened already, and Cordy is in a coma.**

Chapter 2: Buffy's View

_*****Sunnydale, night of Dawn's kidnapping*****_

I pushed down the giant ball of terror that was threatening to leap out at any moment.

Dawn could not die. Dawn would not die.

I wouldn't let her.

When Glory turned back to Ben, I knew that I needed to make sure he never allowed her out again. But when he spoke, I didn't see her. I just saw him, and he was so scared—so damaged. I didn't have it in me, so I turned away from him as Dawn yelled.

Then I saw her on the ground with some woman I didn't recognize, so I pulled her away and into my arms.

Dawn was safe—that's all that mattered.

The next day, though, I wasn't so sure. A beautiful stranger showing up in the nick of time to save Dawn—to save us all. Miracles didn't happen, and I long since stopped believing that anyone upstairs cared about what happened to me or the ones I loved. It was just too convenient to have Natasha here, and she moved liked a predator.

When I heard her story, I didn't know what to think. Then she showed me what she could do, and I was more confused than ever. I knew she was human—not even a tingle on my slaydar. Yet she put me on my ass so many times I lost count.

Finally, I got up and wiped the blood from my mouth. "You can't be human," I told her.

"I'm human—mostly," she said. "I was born Natasha Romanoff, a Russian asset. They used a version of a super serum on me. I don't have the strength of Captain America or you for that matter. But I don't tire easily and I'm tough. Not to mention, I've got about two decades of fighting experience that you don't have."

She made her statement without bravado—I got the sense that she wasn't bragging, and it made me pause.

I was so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of losing, tired of watching people die. I was tired of shouldering the burden of my calling. My friends couldn't just be my friends—they were soldiers in my war. That was never what I wanted, but it was the choice they made. I valued their lives, but I valued Dawn's more. Even though I knew she was magically created, I was willing to let my friends die, to let the world burn rather than allow her to be harmed.

What kind of slayer was I?

It wasn't that I regretted my choice or my thinking, but I knew that if I kept being faced with these kinds of choices something in me would be break.

I was losing myself.

Now, here was a woman, who could easily do what I do. Maybe she didn't have all my gifts, but she was deadly and poised. She was the woman I always wanted to be when I grew up.

I'm grown up now, but I don't think I will ever be her.

However, I knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I didn't fight Giles or her. I spent time with her, watching her. Everyone was charmed by her. Giles wasn't the only one besotted. Even Dawn adored her, and I worked hard not be jealous. But it'd been months since Dawn had anything to be happy about. What kind of sister would I be if I chased off a person who made her happy, who made her feel safe?

Did it burn a bit that I couldn't be everything she needed? Sure.

But I loved Dawn more than anything on this planet that I fought so hard to save, so I wouldn't try to interfere. Instead, I would watch this new woman and make sure she was all that she appeared. I even invited her to live with us—it made sense. Not only would it get her off of Giles' couch, but it was a great way to get to know her. A way to keep eyes on her and to get help with Dawn—I was proud of myself for suggesting it.

After a while, though, I realized she wasn't all that she appeared—she was so much more. Eventually, I, too, became a fan of hers, especially after our summer vacation.

Several weeks after her arrival, we went to the land of Giles with her. Not only did the woman seem to speak more languages than Giles, she seemed to have a superpower she didn't tell us about.

She could get people to do things they weren't inclined to do.

Dad suddenly calling was a nice surprise, especially for Dawn. However, at dinner, he revealed that our aunt had gotten in touch with him. After dinner, I asked Nat what she said to him.

She gave that shrugged I was beginning to believe really was Russian. "I just helped him see that he wanted to be a good man and father," she said.

I didn't push the issue, but then when I had the Council request a meeting while I was there, I began to be suspicious. Things in Buffyland were never this easy or good. I couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop, and I expected the meeting with the Council to be the other shoe.

I was so wrong.

Giles and I left Dawn with Natasha and pulled up the castle that served as their headquarters.

"So I'm the weapon that keeps the world spinning, and they have offices this extravagant," I observed. "How come we don't get any of this wealth?"

"Because they're a bunch of greedy skinflints," he said as we walked into Travers office.

The woman at the desk was cordial and didn't make us wait. I could tell that Giles was surprised, but we were greeted warmly by Travers.

"Rupert, it's good to see you," he said, holding out his hand for Giles. Then he smiled at me—he was like an evil Mr. Rogers. It totally gave me the willies.

"Miss Summers, I want to commend you for defeating Glorificus. You once again have proven how exceptional you are." He held out his hand to me.

"Thanks," I said, reluctantly taking his hand. Why did I leave my favorite knife at home? Surely, he was possessed or something.

"Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to his two chairs.

We sat down and listened to him explain some new changes. "The council has recently voted on some changes that we want to implement immediately," he said.

"First, Rupert, as the watcher of the current slayer, it is clear that you are not being compensated as you should be, so we're doubling your pay," Travers announced.

"Excuse me?" Giles said, looking as shocked as I felt.

I grinned. "He's giving you more money, Giles. We better not tell Anya," I said with a snicker.

"Well, being the chosen watcher for the slayer is worth more than just verbal accolades," Travers said.

"Not that I'm not happy for your new policy," Giles said. "But why is the council suddenly concerned with my pay?"

"It's been pointed out that not all watchers are equal, and the pay should reflect that," he said. Then he looked at me. "As for the slayer, I am now convinced we have wrongly undervalued your service."

"Seriously?" I said, not sure what he was getting at. "Are you trying to say that you're going to give me money?"

"From now on, the slayer will receive pay on par with her watcher," he said.

"Really?" I asked, my eyes wide in shock. "Exactly how much is that?" When he told me, I thought it was a joke. "You're joking, right?" I looked at Giles. "I'm being punked."

"No, Miss Summers, I am quite serious," Travers said. "I also would like to say that your tuition will also be paid now by the council."

"That's wonderful news," Giles said with a smile.

"Your friends will also get compensation for their work stopping the various apocalypses," he said.

"Now that's surprising and much welcomed," Giles said.

"Yes," I said, suspicious. "Why this about-face?"

"Well, times are changing," he said. "And the council must learn to change with the times."

"What about Faith?" I asked. "Is she going to get any pay? Angel told me he's the only one who puts money on her books for stuff."

"Faith is not an active slayer," he said.

"Yes, but we all bear some responsibility for how things turned out with her," I said. I'd had too many dreams with her in it. Although I didn't talk about it any, I felt guilty for what I did even though I was still angry at her for stealing my body. "Angel said she turned herself in and is taking her punishment."

"Surely, the council can afford a few hundred dollars a month sent to her," Giles said.

I gave him an approving smile—my watcher was the best.

"I'm sure we can," Travers said.

"Well, this has been a most surprising meeting," Giles said, getting up.

"I hope a nice surprise," Travers said, shaking his hand again.

It was, and I couldn't wait to tell Dawn that we were now flush with cash.

On the way to the exit, I grinned up at Giles. "I can afford a car!" I exclaimed.

Giles winced but said, "I suppose so."

"You'll totally have to teach me to drive," I informed him.

"I think that sounds like a job for our friend Natasha, don't you?" he said with a very mischievous smirk.

I laughed and totally agreed, picturing her face and then the car I would buy with my newfound wealth. Although I was distracted thinking about the car I wanted, a thought occurred to me. "Why do you think they are suddenly seeing things so differently?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," Giles said. "I'll have to make some calls."

I was silent for a long time as I considered the past few days. "You know Dad told me that Natasha was impressive," I shared. "I think she scared him shitless somehow. Do you think she did that with the council?"

"I couldn't say—how would she know who they were?" he said.

"Didn't she used to be a spy? Aren't they, like, good at finding out things and making people do stuff?" I asked.

"Possibly," he said.

I grinned. "Well, I'm glad she's on our side," I said.

I decided not to confront my new fairy godmother, but I wasn't sure what to think. Her depths were clearly massive—she was a complex woman. Then I realized that she lost her entire world—we were all she had now. For some reason, though, that made me incredibly happy. If she needed us, she wouldn't leave.

She was an incredible teacher, and I was in the best fighting form of my life thanks to her. Xander was, too.

Then I started back to class, and for the first time, I felt lighter. Natasha was home when Dawn and I came home from school, and she often cooked dinner. It wasn't the same as Mom, but she knew a lot of exotic dishes. Dawn loved it, and my stomach never complained. Eventually, we felt like a real family, and the hole our mother's death left inside of us got smaller. It wasn't that she replaced Mom—she didn't try. It was just she made our lives so much better.

The trio of nerds tried to mess with me, but Natasha quickly put an end to that. It seems surveillance was her spidey-sense, and she spotted their lame attempt at spying right away. As they weren't supernatural, I left them to her to deal with.

When Christmas approached, I could tell that she was feeling down. We'd been busy with helping Xander and Anya plan their wedding, so I didn't notice it until a few days before Christmas. She didn't want to go with us to the airport to say goodbye to Giles. At first, I wondered if it was him leaving that had her down, but then Dawn clued me in.

"Natasha is sad," she said.

"Because Giles left?" I asked. I'd definitely been sensing some major vibage between the two of them.

"No, because it's the holidays and her friends aren't here," Dawn said. "She mentioned Clint and his kids—they were like her family. She died so he could live—at least that was what she thought happened. Then she fell through into our dimension. He must've been really great for her to miss him so much."

"Yea," I said. "I wondered if there was a way that she could contact him or get back home?"

Dawn looked upset. "You want her to leave? She can't leave! We need her here!"

"I'm not suggesting she leave, but if she could get a message or something to Clint to let him know she was okay. Or even go there or something," I said. "It would make her feel so much better, I bet."

"But she might stay there," Dawn said, a note of hysteria in her voice.

"Dawnie, we want Nat to be happy, and if she's not happy here, then we should help her get home," I said. "But maybe she just wants to let him know she's okay. Maybe it's just the holiday bringing her down."

"We have to get her a good gift for Christmas and cheer her up," she said.

"I am going to get that picture we took at Thanksgiving framed," I said.

"Oh, she'll like that," she said.

When Christmas morning arrived, I gave her the gift, and she seemed genuinely touched.

I opened her gift and grinned down at the throwing stars. "These are awesome!" I gushed. I picked them up and started to throw one. This was how she was like a cool aunt—my mother would never think of such a gift.

"Don't you dare!" Natasha said. "Save it for the training room or the basement or backyard."

I hugged her and proceeded to do just that.

By the time Willow and Tara got back to town, Natasha seemed her old self again, but I still thought we should try to help her.

I spoke to Willow and Tara, telling them what I was wondering.

"So you want to find a way to get Natasha back to her own dimension?" Willow asked.

"Not necessarily," I said. "I don't want her to leave. I think she's amazing and the best thing to happen to me and Dawn in a long time."

"She is great," Tara agreed.

"I guess," Willow said. I knew Willow was jealous of another redhead, who was so capable in so many ways. She even was gifted with computers and a budding witch. Would the thought of helping her leave help motivate Willow? It was shameless of me to take advantage of her jealousy, but this was too important.

"I just want her to be happy, and if she can at least contact her friends back home, it might give her some peace," I said.

"I'll start researching," Willow said.

"Do you think we should try to contact the Powers?" Tara said. "There are a few conduits on Earth that might help or at least give answers."

"You mean like the guy with the hat? Whistler?" I asked.

Tara nodded. "Yes," she said.

"Thanks!" I said, giving her a hug. "Now, I can focus on talking Natasha into taking me car shopping. I want to start the new year off as a driving girl!"

Willow's eyes lit up. "What kind of car are you thinking of getting?" she asked.

"Well, we all got that back pay from the Council, so I can afford something nice," I said. "Nat says that my slayer reflexes will require me to get a car that handles more like a motorcycle—a light touch."

"That sounds expensive," Tara said.

"Yep!" I said with a happy grin.

Then we were busy with the wedding, and I am happy to say that their wedding went off without a hitch. They went to Aruba for their honeymoon, and I was working some of Anya's shifts at the store until the new semester of classes started.

Natasha came into the store—she usually helped out whenever Giles was busy.

"Hey," I said. "So are you ready to go down to Los Angeles and find me my dream car?"

"Are you ready to finally pass your test?" she asked with a smirk.

"As soon as I find a car that handles well enough," I said, sticking my tongue out at her.

She grinned. "I will take you shopping if you will help me with a project," she said.

"Sure," I said. She had never asked me for help.

"We need to be in a position of power in this city. It makes me nuts that we have no say in anything that goes on in this jacked up town," she said. "Nor have any of you cultivated relationships with people that do."

"What are you thinking? Do you want to run for mayor or something?" I asked.

"Actually, I saw that they posted an ad for a new chief of police," she said.

My eyes widened. "Are you thinking of applying?" I asked. "That'd be so awesome!"

"It would be convenient," she said. "I think you need to give serious consideration to a career in law enforcement."

I burst out laughing. "Yeah, right," I said.

She didn't smile, and I realized that she was completely serious. "Hey, just because one aptitude test said I should be in law enforcement, it doesn't mean I have to. I could decide to go the way of shrubs!" I informed.

"That makes no sense, but you being in law enforcement does," she said. "You already fight bad guys every night."

"That's my calling, not my job!" I insisted.

She arched her eyebrow and said nothing.

"So it's my job, but it's not my career!" I protested.

"Buffy, you know you're being ridiculous," she said. "I have never met a single person in my life that is better suited for a career in law enforcement than you are—not even me. You are a natural, and I would know."

Her words gave me pause. I respected her too much to dismiss her words completely.

"I just don't see myself as a cop—being all in charge and stuff," I said.

She grinned. "Buffy, do you not see yourself how everyone else does? You are_ always_ in charge—especially in difficult and dangerous situations. You command every room you enter," she said.

"Really?" I asked in surprise. Was that how she saw me? A warm glow filled me at her words.

"Yes, really," she said. "If I was chief of police, I could hire you as a part-time officer. You could work the streets, start building human contacts and get a real handle on the pulse of this place. It'll also be a way to legitimize you if people see you in action."

"Well, I've been slaying in this city for nearly six years, and it's not been an issue," I said.

"It's not? You weren't arrested once for murder and then accused another time for it?" she said, arching that eyebrow of hers.

"Dawn has a big mouth," I grumbled.

She grinned. "Just think about it, okay? You'll find the academy a breeze," she said.

"What about you? Here, you don't have any credentials," I pointed out.

"Oh, I'll have them," she said confidently.

Somehow, I didn't doubt her.

****_Two Weeks Later*****_

Xander and Anya returned from the honeymoon a week ago, and I was now back in school. Natasha managed to get her job as the new chief of police—much to Giles' surprise. I guess, she only spoke to me about it.

I agreed to go the academy in the summer if she would teach me to drive my new black Ferrari. It was a dream car that Giles about killed me for buying. He lectured both me and Natasha when we brought it back from Los Angeles.

Natasha didn't find his lectures boring—I think they amused her because she always got this little smile on her face whenever he started with the lecturing.

Once, I asked her why she didn't find his pontification tiresome.

"Because he cares—sometimes too much," she said. "He worries. Do you know how lucky you are to have him? I had my own version of him, my boss, Nick Fury. He had a much hotter temper than Rupert and didn't have that sexy accent."

"You think Giles' accent is sexy?" I couldn't help but ask, giving her a teasing grin.

She played it cool like she always did—nothing ruffled her. Would I ever be so cool?

"But I was Fury's employee, and I'm not sure he'd go the lengths for me that Rupert has for you," she said.

"I bet he misses you," I said.

"He's dead—along with half my planet," she said. "Unless my team found a way to reverse it—they got all the stones and brought everyone back."

"I'm sure they did," I said. We were silent a moment. Finally, I asked, "If you had a way to get back there, would you want to?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "I'd like to know how everyone is and that everything worked out. I'd like to let Clint know I'm alive—he's probably racked with guilt."

"You wouldn't want to stay?" I asked.

"I loved my guys, being an Avenger," she said. "But there, there's a lot of superheroes, and I'm not really needed."

"_We_ need you," I told her. "I hope you know that. You've not been here long, but you've made a real difference. I'm not sure why you're here, but I know it wasn't an accident. You belong here now—I hope you feel that."

She smiled. "I do," she said.

I was relieved she felt that way because no matter what Willow managed to do, I didn't want Nat to leave us. She wasn't a mother replacement—there wasn't anything maternal about her.

However, she made me feel safe. Like I had someone watching out for me that I could trust completely. I knew, too, that she would keep Dawn safe. If something happened to me, she would protect Dawn with her last breath.

"You know the life of a slayer isn't ever long," I said. "If something happens to me, you'll watch over, Dawn, right?"

"Of course, I would," she said. "But I'm going to make sure you live long enough to get your first gray hair."

I grinned. "My hair wouldn't dare go gray!" I pronounced. That's what Nice-N-Easy was for, after all.

That night I had a dream about my mother. I often dreamt about her, so that wasn't unusual. However, this time it seemed different.

We were in our house on the living room couch watching some movie.

"Do you like Nat?" I asked Mom.

"Of course, I do, honey. She's exactly what I hoped she would be," Mom said.

"Why do you think she is here? Was it just an accident?" I asked.

"There's no such thing—not in a life like yours. There are too many powers at work to either destroy or aid you," she said.

"Do you think she was sent here to help us?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes," she said. "If she hadn't come when she did, you would've died that night. Willow would have done something very foolish and dangerous to bring you back, which would have had long term consequences for you and your friends."

"Seriously?" I asked. Then it occurred to me. "Is this a slayer dream?"

My mother smiled warmly at me. "Not exactly," she said. "But you aren't without friends, sweetheart. Sometimes, I can come to you and Dawn in your dreams to help you."

My eyes widened. "Are you really here? This isn't just a dream?" I asked, reaching for her hand.

"I'm here," she said. Then she hugged me.

"I can't believe it! I miss you so much!" I told her.

"I am so proud of you," she said. "Tell Dawn that I love her. Tell Xander that I said congratulations, and I wish I could've been there for him and Anya."

"Did you send Nat to us, Mom?" I asked.

"Not exactly. Cordelia is trapped in between the living and dead, and she is really pissed," Mom said.

"Angel told me that she is in a coma," I said.

"She isn't exactly human anymore and knows how to find the power players up here. Cordelia was used very badly by some higher powers, and she's looking for payback," Mom said. "She isn't allowed to directly help those in her own life like Angel, but she was able to make some bargain to help you. Angel's about to run into some serious trouble, and he will need help."

"Do you want me to go to Los Angeles?" I asked.

"Not unless he asks for help," she said. "I've made my own little bargain. Spike is going to help him."

"Spike? No one has seen Spike in weeks," I said. "Dawn was pissed that he missed Christmas."

Mom smiled. "He has a very good reason," she said. She looked distracted for a moment. "I have to go, honey. I love you, and I think you should trust my new sister's instincts."

"Sister? Do you mean Nat?" I asked. Then she was gone, and I woke up.

What the hell?

I heard a phone ring. "Buffy, someone is on the phone for you," Natasha said at my door.

I went to Nat's room where the closest houseline was and picked up the phone. "Hello?" I asked.

"Buffy? It's me," Angel said unnecessarily—I'd always know his voice.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"No," he said. "Cordelia's dead. I should've called hours ago, but I didn't want to believe it. She was here with me, so how could she have died in a hospital bed?"

I was confused, and he sounded drunk.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked.

"She helped me one last time—she's been my anchor the past few years," he said. "I don't have you, and now I don't have here. What am I going to do? I lost Connor—I gave him up to save him and to save Cordy, but she's dead anyway."

"I'm so sorry, Angel," I said. Who was Connor? "I will come see you. Try to get some rest."

"Thanks," he said. Then he hung up.

"What's wrong?" Natasha asked.

"An old friend of ours is dead," I told her. "She was in a coma." My dream came rushing to me. Cordelia's death was awfully timely.

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to call your friends?" she asked.

"It can wait a few hours," I said. "No need to disturb their sleep as nothing can change what's happened." I hoped Cordelia would give those higher powers hell. I smiled thinking of that.

I couldn't help but wonder about my dream and Angel's call. Was it a coincidence? Did Cordy's death have anything to do with the bargain she made?

Did it really matter?

Natasha was here, and my mother was dead. What happened to Cordelia had nothing to do with any of us in Sunnydale, but if she did help bring Natasha here, I was grateful.

"Nat, I think I know why you're here," I told her. "I had a dream. . ."

I began to share. If Natasha was brought here for a reason, maybe we could find help to let her connect back with her world. If Cordelia could make things happen when she wasn't even exactly alive, surely, Willow could do something.

Natasha deserved that.

*****_Six Months Later*****_

Clint went out to his barn. Today would've been Nat's birthday, and he was really missing her.

Suddenly, she was there in front of him. He must be hallucinating.

"Clint, it's me," she said.

"What?" he said. "How?" He moved to touch her, but he went through her.

"I'm not here physically," she said.

"Then how do I know it's really you," he said suspiciously.

She gave Clint that look he'd been missing. "I know you better than anyone—even Laura. I was in Bangladesh when you called me, telling me that you'd met someone," she said. "I knew then that Laura was special."

"Are you a ghost?" he asked.

Natasha grinned. "No. I'm in another dimension," she revealed.

"Really?" he asked, his eyes joyful. "You're not dead?"

"No, I'm not. I'm on another Earth, helping a group of kids keep their world from being overrun with vampires and demons," she said. "I guess it's my world now."

"No shit?" he asked.

"It's true," she said with a grin. "I'm very much okay—in fact, I'm great. But I miss you and the kids so much. I wanted to let you know that I'm not dead. That I was transported into another dimension to save a young girl and prevent another from dying in her place. Now, these girls have become my family."

"I can't believe this, Nat. I'm so glad," he said, grinning at her with tears in his eyes.

"Did it work? Did you stop Thanos?" she asked.

Clint nodded. "We did. We got everyone back," he said. "The kids and Laura are here with me. Can I go get them? They'd love to see you again."

She turned like she was seeing someone else say something to her. "I don't have time," she said, her smile regretful. "But I'm so happy to hear that. It was making me nuts thinking that you guys were suffering."

"How are you here?" he asked.

"I have met a very powerful witch," she said. "Magic is real in this dimension. Not like Dr. Strange magic. Mother Earth stuff—I've learned some myself." She looked again at someone Clint couldn't see. "I have to go. It took a lot of power to project my astral form here, and if I stay longer, I could die. I love you, and I'm safe and happy. Tell the guys I miss them all. Kiss the kids and Laura for me."

Then she was gone.

Clint stood there a moment, wondering if he had dreamed the entire thing. But he was wide awake, and it was too real.

Nat was okay.

He smiled, a weight lifted from him.

"Happy birthday, Nat," he said. "Happy birthday."

*****_The End*****_

_I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are awesome! Thanks!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Rupert

_******The Tower******_

When Buffy finally beat Glory down and Dawn screamed for her, I felt relieved.

My slayer was alive, and Glory didn't slice up Dawn. I moved closer and saw that Ben was now in Glory's dress.

Ben was Glory—Glory was Ben. It was clear that I had a responsibility to do what my slayer could not bring herself to do.

As humanely as I could, I ended Ben's life. Although I did feel some pity for the man, my heart was hardened against his plea. He had to die, and I could bear this burden for my slayer.

I watched him die, and I felt no guilt, no remorse. The threat Glory posed was ended.

I stood and looked at my charges, feeling relieved to see Willow and Tara embracing.

We all looked up at the tower, waiting. Puzzled, I looked at the newcomer with interest.

She was dressed in a very tight black bodysuit of some kind. Her short blonde hair reminded me of Anya, so I smiled and showed no alarm at the sudden appearance of the attractive stranger.

Was she a threat? My slayer had already hit her, and she showed no sign of aggression. Spike didn't seem concerned, so I relaxed.

Natasha was a Russian name, but Rushman was not. She had no accent and was clearly trying to appear harmless. However, my trained eye could see she moved a bit too much like a fighter.

Then she glanced at Willow and said, "She is dangerous."

"Willow?" I asked, and she nodded. "She can be. She's a very powerful witch." How did she sense the threat Willow posed? That was interesting.

When she seemed happy at the word witch, I relaxed a bit myself. She knew of the supernatural—that was good. However, she looked a bit frightened and lost when I told her about Sunnydale.

I'm not sure why I felt compelled to invite her to my home, but I extended the invitation. Her look of gratitude caused me to feel good about my decision.

The next day, she woke up before I did—the coffee was already brewing in the coffee pot Xander bought me for Christmas last year. (Bloody American and their god-awful coffee addiction).

"Good morning, Miss Rushman," I said.

"Good morning," she said. "I'd rather you call me Natasha."

"If you will call me Rupert," I said. I rarely heard my given name anymore—it would be nice.

She smiled. "How very unBritish of you," she teased, causing my face to flush. I quickly occupied myself with my morning tea ritual.

I could see that she already made a hearty breakfast. "You've been busy," I observed as I snagged a piece of crisp bacon

"I hope you don't mind," she said.

"No, not at all," I assured her. I set plates on my little table, and we both took a few bites.

"It's been too long since I've shared a breakfast with a lovely lady," I said, giving her smile.

Her returned smile was knowing, but she didn't speak until we had both mostly finished our meal.

Finally, she said, "So how did a Brit become involved in a hellmouth in Southern California?"

"Oh, you know," I said, giving her a coy look. "The hard way."

She laughed, and I couldn't help but feel good. I had ignored my personal life a great deal, and her clear charm was a nice change from the daily horrors I'd battle the past few months. I wondered what her story was? How could I help the woman who'd saved Dawn, and thus the world?

"I understand being wary of trusting strangers," I said. "But if you are lost or need help, we can help you."

"I do better with the trust when I know the players," she said, giving me a questioning look.

I stared at her a long moment, considering. She fell from the sky, and she immediately helped my young charges. Dare I risk more on a complete stranger? Did I have the right to possibly endanger my slayer and the others?

When I looked into her eyes, however, I didn't see an enemy. I didn't see a threat, so I smiled, trusting my gut. "Well, all right," I said.

I began my tale. "The world is older than you might realize…" I kept talking, uninterrupted for twenty minutes. It had been too long since I had someone truly listen to me. My kids were too impatient, constantly interrupting me. However, Natasha hung on to my every word—it was a nice change.

When I paused for breath, she asked, "Why are you sharing this with me?"

I was honest in my reply. "Because you saved Dawn, who is necessary for Buffy's happiness, and who I care a great deal about," I replied. She seemed fairly accepting of my words, only pushing when it came to why Glory wanted Dawn's blood. Fortunately, when I told her that Dawn's secret wasn't mine to tell, she stopped pushing. Of course, I did not need to reveal that there was a secret at all. The woman's composure and laser like focus was distracting me.

She seemed to accept my words, and then I could tell that she had made her own decision to tell me about herself.

"So now you. What's your story?" I asked.

"I'm not sure exactly," she admitted. "I'm an Avenger." When I gave me a blank look, she said, "Earth's mightiest heroes?"

"I can't say I'm familiar with the group," I said, feeling ignorant. I hate feeling ignorant, especially in front of a beautiful woman. "This isn't my homeland, and the kids say I'm woefully behind the times."

"It's possible this isn't my Earth," she announced, expecting me to be surprised.

I wasn't, and I just nodded. "That's possible," I said.

"I was on the planet Vormir looking for a Soul Stone to stop Thanos, who had wiped out half of the world's population with a snap of his finger," she said.

"Well, that wasn't on this planet, so you are most definitely on the wrong earth," he said. "How horrible for you, yet a fascinating puzzle. I wonder if you fell through a portal that was linked to the soft spot at the location you came through?"

"What do you mean soft spot?" she asked.

"Well, the hell god, Glorificus, who wanted to sacrifice Dawn, chose that specific spot for a reason," I explained. "I am assuming that if she had gotten a chance to bleed Dawn, a portal would've opened there in sky, which is why she had that tower built."

"So what now?" I asked.

"Do you mind telling me a bit more about you and these Avengers?" I asked. Talking about the people she loved relaxed her further.

When she got to the part about how the Soul Stone her and her partner, Clint, were tasked to obtain and what was required of them, I reached out and squeezed her hand.

She seemed surprised by my actions, so I quickly let go. By this point, we were on my sofa.

"Clint is the best man I have ever known," she said. "He saved my life and then some. He gave me a family when I had lost my own. His wife and kids needed him, and there was no way that I was going to face them. I couldn't live with myself if I had to tell them he died in my place."

"He is lucky to have such a friend," I told her, meaning it. What a Buffy thing to do. My slayer needed a role model like this one. "You have no superpowers of your own?"

She shook her head. "Not really, I was given a version of the super soldier serum, though. I do heal a bit faster and can take a hit," she said. "I'm not like Steve, but I am highly trained. In Russia, they had me training as a young child."

"Tell me about him," I prodded. And she did. She talked for an hour, telling me about her second partner, this paragon of American virtue. I almost hated the man.

"He sounds too good to be true," I couldn't help saying.

She grinned. "I know. We were on the wrong side once, but he was born in another era—a man out of time," she said.

"Were you involved?" I asked, hoping I didn't show too much interest in her answer.

She shook her head. "No," she said. "I was too broken for such a perfect guy. Bruce and I flirted—he was the Hulk I was mentioned. We had a potential once for something, but I messed up. Sometimes, the mission is all I think about."

"Sometimes, it's what matters," I said.

She gave me a grateful look and continued. "Bruce was a brilliant scientist, who foolishly experimented on himself, creating the Hulk. When I needed the Hulk in a battle once, he felt betrayed. He left the planet for two years—off with Thor doing I don't know what," she said. "Then Thanos happened. We were over before we begun."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It happens," she said with a shrug. "I'm Russian, so we're not very sentimental."

"So this SHIELD that you worked for, is it like the CIA or FBI that America has on this Earth?" I asked.

"Those agencies were on mine, too," I said. "SHIELD focused a bit on threats that normal FBI or CIA couldn't handle. We focused on HYDRA, which was a Communist group that came out of WWII. They played around with the supernatural a bit."

"So it's a group that specializes in aliens and the supernatural?" I asked. "That's very exciting. The Watcher's Council doesn't spend much time in extra-terrestrial, but there's been records. Most of the alien encounters we have are from other dimensions —Glory called a demon bug to kill her poor infected crazies—it was from another dimension we believe even though it landed on Earth like a space ship."

"What makes you sure it wasn't just a simple alien?" she asked me.

"It seemed unlikely as she was not an alien," I said. "She had demon followers, and she was herself a hellgod. We assume it came from another demon dimension, a place familiar to a hellgod like she."

"Now that's a term I don't quite understand—hellgod," I said. "Thanos was a Titan, and when he put the infinity stones on the gauntlet, he actually had powers of a god. He could reverse time, and he destroyed half of all life on every planet throughout our multi-verse with a snap of his fingers."

"Well, some of the dimensions are hell dimensions," I explained. "They are full of demonic creatures. As some used to live on this planet, they consider it their home. However, Glory was a mad ruler of her hell dimension. Supposedly, other gods got together to contain her and brought her here and put her in the body of a human vessel."

"What would've happened if she'd opened the portal?" Natasha wondered. "Wouldn't she just have went home and been someone else's problem?"

This was the tricky part as I had a feeling she had been trained to detect lies, but I didn't want to share the truth about Dawn just yet.

"From my research and what my superiors at the Council had uncovered, all dimension walls would've opened. Not sure her own," I said. "This world would've been destroyed by the hordes from hell that would've been unleashed."

"Wow," Natasha said. "So Dawn wasn't exaggerating?"

"No," I said. "By saving her, you saved the world."

She smiled, pleased. "The guys would be jealous," she said.

"I have a feeling that they wouldn't be surprised since you gave your life to save your own mere moments before you saved Dawn," I pointed out, giving her an admiring glance. Before things could grow awkward, however, I stood. "Well, we should head to the Magic Box and talk to the children."

She stood. "You know, except for Dawn, they all looked pretty grown up to me," she said.

"Spend some time with them, and you will understand why I use the word children," I said. "Anya is my business partner, and she used to be a thousand-year-old vengeance demon. However, she ignored all rules of proper behavior."

"She was the one who said she would miss orgasms, right?" Natasha asked, giving me a wicked grin.

Hearing her say the word orgasm caused my pulse to race just a tad too much. I was being ridiculous as I was entirely too old for her. "May I ask you a personal question?" I dared to venture.

"Sure," she said. "I can't promise to answer, though, but you can ask."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Don't worry," she said. "I am not at all near their age as I am on the other side of thirty."

I felt relieved but simply nodded. "Shall we?" I asked opening the door.

When we arrived at the Magic Box, all the children were there. "Good morning!" Anya said with a bright smile.

"I brought donuts," Xander said.

"Thanks, but we already ate," I said. This was one reason I still thought of them as children—they would eat donuts daily if given a chance.

"How are you feeling, Anya?" I asked her.

"I have a slight concussion, but I'm okay," Anya said. "I was given some white pills that made the pain go away, and Xander looked even sexier than normal."

Natasha grinned at the woman but said nothing. I appreciated her restraint.

"So are you going to tell us how this woman fell from the sky just in time to save the day?" Buffy asked, eying her with open hostility.

"Buffy, she has lost her world, and I do not think it was a coincidence that she ended up in ours just at the right time," I said.

"So she was teleported here like Willow did with the spell on Glory?" Buffy asked.

"No. She is from another Earth—one she died saving," I said. "Or rather she ended up here instead of certain death."

"That's rather convenient," Buffy said, glancing at Willow.

"Yes," Willow said, nodding in agreement.

"Her planet didn't have hell dimensions or vampires or slayers," I said. "It had superheroes and humans with advanced biology that gave them slayer like abilities."

"Like Superman?" Xander's eyes lit up.

"We had a Captain America," Natasha said. She told them about the heroes in her world and the enemy, Thanos, who managed to destroy so much.

"Wow!" Xander said. "That's a real villain—one that makes Glory seem like a crazy kitten."

"Well, we had an entire squad of superheroes and an army fighting him, so it wasn't quite the same," Natasha said.

"I can't believe you, Giles," Buffy said, glaring at me. "How can you just share our lives with a stranger? You just believe her crazy tale?"

"Buffy, she fell from the sky. She saved my life," Dawn said, glaring at her sister.

Buffy went on a tiresome rant, and I took off my glasses, waiting for her to finish. However, before I could speak, Natasha did.

"It's time that you close your mouth," Natasha said.

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked, giving her an angry glare. As I saw Buffy clench her fists, I knew she was close to physically assaulting the newcomer.

"Calm down, Buffy. You are overreacting. Natasha is someone with gifts and talents of her own—someone that needs our help and could help us in return," I told her. I could see that Natasha was getting annoyed, but she raised her hand, warning me off.

"We don't need your help," Buffy insisted, crossing her arms. My slayer was so stubborn.

"Yes, you do," Natasha said. She glanced at me, and I gave her a small nod. "I'm a trained spy, a government agent from another Earth. I can help you because it's very clear you guys are in need of help."

"Why don't we first see if we can help you?" I suggested to her. I looked at Willow. "Willow, can you get on the machine of yours and look to see if anyone of her people are on this planet?"

"You mean their doppelgangers?" Willow asked.

"Yes—also help her look up her place of employment," I suggested.

"If you have a computer, I can look it up myself," she said.

"I can do it," Willow said quickly.

I let the girls spend time on the computer while I took my slayer to the training room.

"Buffy, have I not earned your trust by now?" I asked her when we were alone.

"Of course, Giles," she said. "This isn't about not trusting you."

"It is," I replied. "I would not allow anyone into our lives that I deemed a threat. I would not put you or Dawn at risk. This woman not only helped us, but she needs our help. I would appreciate it if you would at least be polite."

Buffy grudgingly agreed. A few days went by, and Natasha found nothing from her old world. I found that a bit odd as I would've assumed another Earth would have similar people. There were some, but none of the ones she knew personally. It was strange.

As it was clear that Natasha had no one but us, I did what I could to make her feel comfortable. I cleaned out my spare room and moved Natasha into as I did have a pullout couch. After she'd been on patrol once with us, Buffy decided that she had to spar with Natasha. So far, Natasha had not been around when Buffy was training. She'd been in town four days, though, when Buffy insisted that she show us what she could do.

I'm not sure who was more surprised, myself or my slayer, to discover that not only could Natasha hold her own against Buffy, but she could win against her.

My stubborn slayer, though, wouldn't give up. She kept getting up, and Natasha kept putting her down. Of course, Buffy managed to hurt her—I could see it. However, Natasha fought with cold discipline, beating her several times. I looked at the others who were watching, and they were equally stunned.

Finally, Buffy got up and spit out, "You can't be human!"

"I'm human—mostly," I said. "I was born Natasha Romanoff, a Russian asset. They used a version of a super serum on me. I don't have the strength of Captain America or you for that matter. But I don't tire easily, and I'm tough. Not to mention, I've got over two decades of fighting experience that you don't have."

Romanoff suited her better than Rushman, and I was glad she finally gave us her real name. I watched Buffy look at her for a long time, and then she relaxed and nodded. After that, Buffy seemed to accept Natasha's presence.

Two weeks later, Buffy approached me in the shop as Dawn was having Natasha teach her how to throw off a male attacker. Spike, of course, was the male volunteer.

"Giles, are you sleeping with Nat?" Buffy asked.

"What?" I asked sharply. When I realized that Dawn and Natasha both stopped to look at me, I lowered my voice, turning away from their prying eyes. "Why would you ask me that? Of course not! She is a guest in my home."

Buffy gave me that annoying smirk of hers. "That's what I figured—it's time to get her out of there," she said.

"I can't and won't throw the poor woman on the street!" I protested.

"God, Giles, I wasn't suggesting that!" Buffy insisted, rolling her eyes. "I was thinking that she could stay with me and Dawn."

I paused, thinking about what a good idea that was. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes," Buffy said, nodding. "It makes sense. I could use some help with Dawn when school starts back, and we have the room. We can say she's a relative or something."

"If you're sure," I said, looking for signs of hesitancy.

"I'm sure. Dawn will love it," she said. Then she gave me a sly look. "Then you won't have to worry about seducing your houseguest."

When my mouth fell open at her words, she giggled and skipped over to tell Dawn her idea.

Before I knew it, I was living alone once more. The last night she was there, Natasha held out her hand out me. "I'm not sure how to thank you, but I am very grateful for your hospitality, your kindness, and your friendship—not to mention your trust."

I took her hand in mine, smiling. "It was my pleasure," I said. I held her hand a moment longer than was proper, and then I quickly released it.

After she left, I relaxed. It hadn't occurred to me just how tense I had been until she was gone. Did I miss her? Of course. However, I was not used to sharing my space, and my flat was not that large. She was a very beautiful woman, and she was incredibly intelligent, too. Willow still hadn't recovered from discovering the woman was trained in various computer programs and a decent hacker.

However, having my place to myself grew boring after just a few days, and I decided I needed a change. When I was in my shop getting my lesson in Russian from Natasha with Dawn, I mentioned that I was considering going to my home for the summer.

"Oh, Giles, can I go?" Dawn begged. "I so want to go to England! Think of all the history you can teach me!"

"Yes, Rupert, think of what all you can teach this teenage mind as you set her loose in Europe," Natasha said with a coy smile. I chuckled. It hadn't taken her long to fit in with our little Scoobie Gang as they called it.

From there, it was decided that Buffy would go and eventually Willow and Tara. I'm not sure why it hadn't occurred to me that the girls would enjoy seeing my home, but they did.

Spending the two weeks with my slayer, Dawn, and Natasha was one of the best times of my life. It'd been too long since I had seen the carefree, happy side of Buffy, and she was a sight to behold as she toured my family home, trying to find the secret passage I had hinted about.

"I can't believe how different she is here," Natasha observed, watching Buffy interact with her sister. "It's like she's a whole new person."

"This is the girl she would've been if she hadn't been called as a slayer," I said.

"I like this girl," she said.

So did I, but I loved all sides of my slayer. She was special.

However, I soon discovered just how special Natasha was. I knew that she read Latin and spoke Russian. As we traveled, I discovered that she also spoke French, Portuguese, Italian, and Farsi. She was just full of surprises.

We drove through the countryside around my family's estate after the girls decided they wanted to go shopping with my mother, who was more than happy to indulge them.

"Should we feel guilty for abandoning the girls?" Natasha asked.

"You can, but I do not," I told her. "Mother has mostly given up on me supplying her with grandchildren. She knows what the girls mean to me, and she has decided to treat them like hers."

Natasha laughed. "Well, there are worse things. It will do them good," she said.

I agreed, and we had a lovely afternoon just driving. The stress of the hellmouth rolled off me as I allowed myself to truly relax.

"It's been a long time since I've just went for a drive," she said.

"I'm glad you could join us," I said.

"Well, it wasn't like there was anything else demanding my attention," she said with a rueful smile. "I'm very grateful for your kindness and generosity."

I enjoyed being with her, and our time in England created memories I will always cherish. Somehow, she tracked down Buffy and Dawn's father and got him to reconnect with his girls. I was very happy for them, and Dawn in particular was thrilled to see her father again.

"How did you do that?" I asked her after the girls left to have dinner with their dad.

She gave me a coy smile. "Wouldn't you like to know," she said.

"I would," I said.

"I just reminded him that he was a good father," she said.

Somehow, I just knew that there was more to it than that. Then when Buffy and I went to meet Travers, I agreed with Buffy. The events were too extraordinary to have happened without some outside force. Natasha did seem like the most logical suspect.

"How did you accomplish such a thing?" I asked her when we were having a nightcap later that night.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I don't believe in coincidences," I said. "You told me you were called the Black Widow back on your world. I am sure that name was given for a reason."

"Well, I've never been married or widowed," she said with a wink.

I just laughed. "Fine. Keep your secrets," I told her. "I'm just glad you're on our side."

"And now I don't have to feel guilty for the money you've spent on me," she said.

"You didn't have to do anything to pay me back," I said, meaning it. It was nice to be able to help someone and get to see the way my help affected their life. When we saved someone from a vampire, they were gone from our lives. Of course, this woman was special in so many ways. I was finding it harder and harder to see her as only a colleague.

****_*A Few Months Later*****_

I was in love with the newest member of our team. Who could blame me as I was but a man, and Natasha Romanoff was unlike anyone I have ever known, male or female.

In October, Buffy's basement flooded, and she knew how to fix it. Then she spotted surveillance on my girls and figured out who was behind it. I could not believe Jonathan was mixed up in such shenanigans.

After I watched how she dealt with them, I smiled in approval. Warren had built himself a robotic girlfriend, and he was abusing his real-life girlfriend. She'd used what she called her honey trap to help facilitate the end of their relationship and managed to get enough proof that he was doing all kind of illegal things online. Instead of contacting the nincompoops at the Sunnydale police department, she had called the FBI directly. Warren was arrested, and she scared his two accomplices into testifying against them.

The woman was amazing, and right before Thanksgiving I finally kissed her like I had wanted to for months.

"You do that quite well," she said with a smile when I pulled away. Dawn was at a sleepover and Buffy was patrolling with Willow and Tara.

"Thanks," I said. "I've had some practice."

"Did you want to join me in my bed?" she asked as if she was talking about the weather. Her casualness disturbed me, but I wasn't strong enough to say no.

"I do," I said. "However, I don't want things to be awkward."

"Rupert, we're both adults who respect and care for one another," she said. "I'm not some young thing you're taking advantage of."

"I know that," I said. I gave her a searching look, and I only saw amusement in her eyes. Was she laughing at me or the situation? Suddenly, I felt unsure. "It's probably a mistake."

"Sharing a good time with a friend is never a mistake," she said without hesitation.

"And if I wanted it to be more than that?" I dared to venture.

She looked at me a long moment, and then leaned up and kissed me again. Then she took my hand, tugging me along. "I think we should take things slow and see how things go," she suggested.

I was okay with that, and I followed her to her bed.

I don't know how I managed to get home that night before Buffy discovered me.

All I know was I felt like a young virgin discovering sex for the first time, and she was a goddess.

Somehow, we managed to keep our relationship under wraps. I even went home for the holidays even though it pained me to be away from her.

I was very pleased that she wanted to drive me to the airport—I was letting her keep my car while I was gone.

"I wanted to give you something for Christmas—if that's okay," she said, handing me a wrapped gift. This gratified me because I had a wrapped gift inside my coat for her.

"Of course," I said. "I have something for you, too." Reaching inside my jacket, I brought it out and handed the small box to her.

"I saw this and had a feeling you might like it," she said.

Smiling, I opened the box and saw that it was a book—a very old book. A thrill went through me as I reverently picked it up.

"I didn't see this one in your collection," she said.

It was a first edition of the poetry of Lord Byron—a rare find indeed. "This is incredible," I said, carefully opening up the cover. "Where did you find it?"

"Online," she said with a smirk. "You know that place you refrain from going."

"You know I was once involved with a woman who lived and breathed computers, and she never converted me," I said.

"Did you she buy you rare books that you could only find online?" Natasha asked.

When her words amused me instead of causing me pain, I knew that I was finally ready to move on emotionally from Jenny. It had been several years, and other women had been close to me physically since she died. However, I had not really allowed any to touch my heart.

Until now. I leaned over and kissed her. "Thank you," I said. "I love it."

Now it was her turn, so she opened the small box. "This has been in my family for a few generations," I said. "I didn't really spend money on it, but I wanted you to have it."

She lifted the necklace out of the box. It was a small Celtic cross with an emerald in it. "It's gorgeous, Rupert," she said softly.

"The stone reminded me of your eyes," I told her.

It surprised me to see her eyes fill with tears—I'd yet to see her cry. "Thank you, Rupert. It's wonderful. Will you put it on me?" she asked.

I did, and then she kissed me one last time before I got on the plane.

By New Year's Eve, I returned, dragging her into my apartment. We didn't make it to my bedroom the first time.

"I missed you," she said after we were lying in my bed.

"I hope half as much as I missed you," I said. "How was your Christmas?"

"It was hard—I miss Clint and his family. His wife Laura makes Christmas so wonderful, and she never made me feel like I was an intruder," Natasha said. More and more she spoke of her partner and best friend. I hated to see her in pain and wanted to what I could to help.

Although I was thrilled with her plan to become chief of police, I kept encouraging her to explore magic and work with Willow to find a way to contact her Earth.

By the next summer, they figured it out. It was on her birthday, and I was so happy for her.

After she made contact, she smiled brighter than I have ever seen. Willow told her to end the connection, and she collapsed against me.

"I saw him, Rupert!" she exclaimed, her joy apparent.

"I am so glad," I told her.

"They did it," she said. "Everyone was okay. Laura and the kids are alive again."

Then she threw herself in my arms and finally cried for all that she had lost.

I loved this woman, and I thanked whatever god sent her to my Earth.

Nothing would ever make me give her up—I'd follow her to her Earth if I had to.

Luckily, she was happy just where she was, and so was I.

*****_The End*****_

_I hope you feel like this was a good addition. No other chapters planned at this time, but you never know! Review please! Thanks!_


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